Rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism

ABSTRACT

A rotation-type single-pull retract mechanism includes a housing with a lower housing and an upper cover, a rotation mold, a plate-shaped spring, and a wire material. The lower housing has a positioning shaft and at least one blocking element movably mounted on the lower housing. Two wire-outlet holes are formed on the sides of the housing. The rotation mold has a wire winding shaft and a ratchet-wheel-shaped boss with at least two positioning teeth that corresponds to the blocking element. The rotation mold has a wire-through hole, a wire winding annular wall with the plate-shaped spring placed within, and a first through-hole engaged with the positioning shaft. Therein, an inner root portion of the plate-shaped spring is fixedly connected with the positioning shaft. Thereby, the wire material may be reeled on the wire winding annular wall, so that two ends of the wire material passes through the two wire-outlet holes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a retraction mechanism for wirematerials such as power cables, signal lines, and data lines; and moreparticularly to a rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

With rapid development of electronic products, more and more peripheralequipments for all kinds of electronic products are available, such aspower adapters, earphones, data lines, and USB interface convertercables etc. The peripheral equipments all have wire materials with acertain length for electric conduction or transmission of data signals.If the wire materials are of fixed length, then they cannot be adaptedfor all kinds of application that covers different distances. Further,since the wire materials are abundant in variety, they are inconvenientfor storage and carrying when the wire materials are neatly arranged,and also, the wire materials are easily damaged since they are usuallybent rigidly when being arranged. Accordingly, various wire materialshave appeared to overcome the aforementioned problems. However,conventional retraction mechanisms, double-directional retractionmechanisms, or single-directional retraction mechanisms, havecomplicated structures, which results in difficulty to meet with variousdemands of length adjustment for the wire materials; and so theretraction mechanisms are difficult to operate and control.Additionally, movable pull wires and fixed wires in the mechanisms areelectrically connected via PCBs or elastic contacting pieces, so poorcontact occurs easily from wear and tear of the wires during usage,thereby the wires lose efficacy and have short service lives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism which has a simple structure and a longservice life and is convenient for operation and control.

To achieving the above-mentioned object, a rotation-type single-pullretraction mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is provided.

The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism includes a housingand a rotation mold, wherein a plate-shaped spring is mounted in thehousing. The housing includes a lower housing and an upper coverengaging with each other. The lower housing has a positioning shaftformed thereon. The rotation mold has a first through-hole which isformed therein and engages with the positioning shaft and a wire-throughhole formed in the rotation mold. Two wire-outlet holes are formed insides of the housing. A wire winding annular wall is formed on an upperend of the rotation mold. The plate-shaped spring is placed in the wirewinding annular wall. An inner root portion of the plate-shaped springis fixedly connected with the positioning shaft. The rotation mold has aratchet-wheel-shaped boss and a wire winding shaft formed on a lower endthereof. At least two positioning teeth are disposed on a circumferenceof the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss. At least one blocking element whichcan be movably adjusted is mounted on the lower housing and engages withthe positioning teeth. The wire material includes a movable segment, atransitional connecting segment, and a fixed segment. The movablesegment is reeled on the wire winding annular wall on the upper end ofthe rotation mold, an outer end of the movable segment extending out ofthe housing through one of the two wire-outlet holes and an inner end ofthe movable segment passing through the wire-through hole and connectedwith the transitional connecting segment. The other end of thetransitional connecting segment is connected with an inner end of thefixed segment, and the outer end of the fixed segment extends out of thehousing through the other wire-outlet hole.

Compared with conventional retraction mechanisms, the rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism of the present invention has theadvantages as follows: 1. the present invention has a simple and compactstructure and is convenient for operation and control in one direction;2. there are at least two positioning teeth disposed on thecircumference of the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss, that is, there are atleast two locations for length adjustment so that users can adjust thelength of the wire material according to the demands, which isconvenient for use; 3. the wire material has three segments, and afterthe movable segment is reeled, a segment of the wire material isreserved to be the transitional connecting segment which is connectedwith the fixed segment, so that the three segments of the wire materialfunctions as one complete wire during the pulling and retracting of thewire material, thereby preventing wear-and-tear and bad contact, andthereby prolonging the service life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotation-type single-pull retractionmechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a laterally cross-sectional view of the rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinally cross-sectional view of the rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rotation-type single-pullretraction mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a laterally cross-sectional view of the rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinally cross-sectional view of the rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the rotation-type single-pullretraction mechanism according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of the present invention provides a rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. Therotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism includes acircular-plate-shaped housing 10 and a rotation mold 20 and aplate-shaped spring 30 which are disposed in the housing 10. The housing10 includes an upper cover 11 and a lower housing 12 engaging with eachother. A positioning shaft 121 is formed on the lower housing 12, and afirst through-hole 201 is formed in the rotation mold 20, engaging withthe positioning shaft 121. The rotation mold 20 has a wire-through hole202 formed therein. Two wire-outlet holes 101, 102 are formed in sidesof the housing 10. The rotation mold 20 has a wire winding annular wall21 formed on an upper end thereof and the plate-shaped spring 30 isplaced in the annular wall 21. An inner root portion 31 of theplate-shaped spring 30 is fixedly connected with the positioning shaft121, and a spring cover 40 covers an upper end of the plate-shapedspring 30, so the plate-shaped spring 30 always stays in the wirewinding annular wall 21. The rotation mold 20 has a ratchet-wheel-shapedboss 22 and a wire winding shaft 23 formed on a lower end thereof. Sixpositioning teeth 221 are formed on the circumference of theratchet-wheel-shaped boss 22 uniformly. Two blocking elements 50, whichcan be movably adjusted, are symmetrically mounted on two sides of thecircumference of the lower housing 12 to engage with the positioningteeth 221. In the present invention, the blocking elements 50 aremounted as follows: as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the blocking elements50 are mounted on the lower housing 12 via pin shafts 51 and torquesprings 52, and press buttons 60 are disposed on outer sides of theblocking elements 50. When the press buttons are not pressed, the endpoints of the blocking elements 50 abut against the positioning teeth221, so that the rotation mold 20 can only rotate in one direction(refer to the direction as shown in FIG. 2, that is, the rotation mold20 can only rotate in the anticlockwise direction, and the clock wiserotation of the rotation mold 20 is prevented. The directions describedin the following description all refer to the direction as shown in FIG.2.).

In the present invention, the wire material has three segments: one, amovable segment 91 which is used for being pulled or retracted to meetthe demands of various lengths and be easy to be connected and carried;two, a fixed segment 92 which cannot be pulled and is used for beingconnected with a signal source or a power source; three, a transitionalconnecting segment 93 which connects the movable segment 91 with thefixed segment 92 and provides elbowroom during pulling or retracting themovable segment 91 to prevent the wire material from twisting duringpulling or retracting the movable segment 91. The movable segment 91 isreeled on the wire winding annular wall 21 on the upper end of therotation mold 20. An outer end of the movable segment 91 extends out ofthe housing 10 through the wire-outlet hole 101, and an inner endthereof passes through the wire-through hole 202 and is connected withthe transitional connecting segment 93 reeled on the wire winding shaft23 on the lower end of the rotation mold 20. The other end of thetransitional connecting segment 93 is connected with the inner end ofthe fixed segment 92. The outer end of the fixed segment 92 extends outof the housing 10 through the other wire-outlet hole 102. For furtherensuring that the wire material 90 is pulled or retracted successfully,the present invention also has a wire blocking board 80 which has athird through-hole 81 formed therein, engaging with the positioningshaft 121. The movable segment 91 and the transitional connectingsegment 93 may be a complete wire material. The transitional connectingsegment 93 corresponds to a segment of wire material which is reservedafter the movable segment 91 is designed. The movable segment 91 isreeled on the wire winding annular wall 21 and then passes through thewire-through hole 202, and the reserved wire material (that is, thetransitional connecting segment 93) is reeled on the wire winding shaft23 and then connected with the fixed segment 92. As shown in FIG. 2 andFIG. 4, the transitional connecting segment 93 and the fixed segment 92can be connected via a corresponding plastic conversion element 94according to the variety of the wire material. Of course, in specialconditions, the three segments of wire materials may also be a completewire material.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, after assembly, the positioning shaft 121of the lower housing 12 passes through the first through-hole 201, theplate-shaped spring 30, the second through-hole 41 of the spring cover40 and the third through-hole 81 of the wire blocking board 80 from thelower to the upper in turn.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, in the present invention, the upper cover11 has an annular decorative strip 13 for improving the appearance ofthe product.

The wire material reeled on the wire winding annular wall, (that is, themovable segment 91), may be pulled or retracted, which has the lengthdesigned according to actual demands. The length of the transitionalconnecting segment 93 is smaller than that of the movable segment 91.Combining with FIG. 2, during use, users can pull the movable segment 91according to the length demand to drive the rotation mold 20 to rotatein the anticlockwise direction, and the plate-shaped spring 30 iscompressed. After the wire material is pulled for a proper length, thepulling action stops. At this time, the positioning teeth 221 of therotation mold 20 is abutted against by the end points of the blockingelements 50 (since there are the torque springs 52, the end points ofthe blocking elements 50 always abut against the circumference of theratchet-wheel-shaped boss 22 without an external force.), and theelastic force of the plate-shaped spring 30 is overcome, so the rotationmold 20 cannot rotate reversely in the clockwise direction and the wirematerial cannot be retracted. After use, users press the press button60, and then the blocking elements 50 rotate around the pin shaft 51 sothat the end points of the blocking elements 50 are detached from thepositioning teeth 221. Under the elastic force of the plate-shapedspring 30, the rotation mold 20 rotates in the clockwise direction anddrives the wire material (the movable segment 91) to be retracted intothe mechanism. During the pulling and retracting of the movable segment91, the transitional connecting segment 93 may release and retractreciprocatingly with the rotation of the rotation mold 20, therebyproviding elbowroom and avoiding the twisting of the wire material fromduring pulling or retracting effectively.

In the present invention, there are six positioning teeth 221 disposedon the circumference of the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss 22 uniformly, thatis, there is one stop location for each one sixth of the circumferenceof the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss 22 for pulling or retracting the properlength of the wire material, which can meet various demands totally. Ofcourse, the number of the positioning teeth 221 may be eight or others;or alternatively, the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss 22 with a differentcircumference length is designed. The blocking elements 50 are twosymmetrical blocking elements 50 to ensure that the pulling orretracting operation is more reliable.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 5-7 (theplate-shaped spring and the wire material are omitted). The differencebetween the embodiment and the aforementioned embodiment is mainly thepositions of the blocking elements 50′, the structure of the upper cover11′, the direction in which the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss 21′ of therotation mold 20′ protrudes, and increased first wire carrying plate80′, second wire carrying plate 70′ and U-shaped clamp 13′.

An annular platform 112′ is horizontally disposed in the upper cover 11′and partially protrudes upwards to form two walls 1121′ which form twoslideways 1122′ with the inner side of the upper cover 11′. One end ofeach slideway 1122′ respectively corresponds to each blocking element50′. Partial annular platform 112′ which doesn't protrude upwards toform the two walls 1121′ has two pin shafts 1123′. The lower housing 12,engaging with the upper cover 11′, has a positioning shaft 121′. Therotation mold 20′ has a fourth through-hole 201′ engaging with thepositioning shaft 121′. The rotation mold 20′ has a spring cover 40′disposed thereon.

The two blocking elements 50′ are mounted on the annular platform 112′via the two pin shafts 1123′ and two torque springs 51′. Theratchet-wheel-shaped boss 21′ of the rotation mold 20′ extends upwardsinto the inner side of the upper cover 11′. At least two positioningteeth 211′ are disposed on the circumference of the ratchet-wheel-shapedboss 21′ to engage with the blocking elements 50′.

A dialing plate 60′ is axially disposed on the upper cover 11′. Thedialing plate 60′ has raised lines 62 on an upper surface thereof toincrease the contacting friction produced when a user' fingers dial thedialing plate 60′ and two pushing elements 61′ protruding downwards fromthe dialing plate 60′. When the two pushing elements 61′ don't slide tothe ends of the slideways 1122′ respectively corresponding to theblocking elements 50′, the end points of the blocking elements 50′ abutagainst the positioning teeth 211′; and when the two pushing elements61′ slide to the ends of the slideways 1122′ respectively correspondingto the blocking elements 50′, the pushing elements 61′ push the blockingelements 50′ so that the blocking elements 50′ overcome the forceproduced by the torque spring 51′ abutting against the positioning teeth211′, thereby the blocking elements 50′ are detached from thepositioning teeth 211′.

The first wire carrying plate 80′ has a wire winding annular wall 81′disposed on an upper end thereof and connected beneath the rotation mold20′. The space between the first wire carrying plate 80′ and therotation mold 20′ may receive the movable segment of the wire material(not shown) which may be reeled on the wire winding annular wall 81′.When the blocking elements 50′ are detached from the positioning teeth211′, the rotation mold 20′ and the first wire carrying plate 80′ rotatetogether thereby achieving the retraction effect. The first wirecarrying plate 80′ has a fifth through-hole 82′ engaging with thepositioning shaft 121′.

The second wire carrying plate 70′ is disposed beneath the first wirecarrying plate 80′. The space between the first and the second carryingplates 70′, 80′ may receive the fixed segment of wire material (notshown). The second wire carrying plate 70′ has a sixth through-hole 71′engaging with the positioning shaft 121′.

The U-shaped damp 13′ is combined with the lower end of the lowerhousing 12′ for clamping a belt, thereby being convenient for carry.

1. A rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism, comprising: ahousing, including a lower housing and an upper cover engaged with eachother, the lower housing having a positioning shaft formed thereon, atleast one blocking element that can be movably adjusted mounted on thelower housing; and two wire-outlet holes are formed in sides of thehousing; a rotation mold, having a ratchet-wheel-shaped boss and a wirewinding shaft disposed on a lower end thereof; at least two positioningteeth disposed on a circumference of the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss,corresponding to the blocking element; the rotation mold having a firstthrough-hole engaging with the positioning shaft, a wire-through holeand a wire winding annular wall formed on an upper end of the rotationmold; a plate-shaped spring, placed in the wire winding annular wall, aninner root portion of the plate-shaped spring fixedly connected with thepositioning shaft; and a wire material, reeled on the wire windingannular wall, two ends of the wire material passing through the twowire-outlet holes.
 2. The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanismas claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of the blocking elements aretwo, and the two blocking elements are respectively mounted on two sidesof a circumference of the lower housing.
 3. The rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein theblocking element is mounted on the lower housing via a pin shaft and atorque spring.
 4. The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism asclaimed in claim 2, wherein two press buttons are disposed on outersides of the blocking elements.
 5. The rotation-type single-pullretraction mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein six positioningteeth are disposed on the circumference of the ratchet-wheel-shapedboss.
 6. The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism as claimedin claim 1, wherein a spring cover is disposed on the plate-shapedspring and has a second through-hole formed therein which engages withthe positioning shaft.
 7. The rotation-type single-pull retractionmechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wire blocking board isdisposed on the rotation mold and has a third through-hole formedtherein which engages with the positioning shaft.
 8. The rotation-typesingle-pull retraction mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein theupper cover has an annular decorative strip formed thereon.
 9. Therotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism as claimed in claim 1,wherein the wire material has a movable segment, a transitionalconnecting segment, and a fixed segment, and the movable segment isreeled on the wire winding annular wall, an outer end of the movablesegment extending out of the housing through one of the two wire-outletholes and an inner end of the movable segment passing through thewire-through hole and is connected with the transitional connectingsegment, the transitional connecting segment is reeled on the wirewinding shaft and the other end of the transitional connecting segmentis connected with an inner end of the fixed segment, and the outer endof the fixed segment extends out of the housing through the otherwire-outlet hole.
 10. A rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism,comprising: a housing, including a lower housing and an upper coverengaging with each other, the lower housing having a positioning shaftformed thereon, at least one blocking element which can be movablyadjusted mounted on an inner side of the upper cover and a dialing platedisposed on an outer side of the upper cover, a pushing element disposedbeneath the dialing plate, and two wire-outlet holes formed in sides ofthe housing; a rotation mold, having a ratchet-wheel-shaped boss formedon an upper end thereof and extending upwards into an inner side of theupper cover; at least two positioning teeth disposed on a circumferenceof the ratchet-wheel-shaped boss, corresponding to the blocking element;and the rotation mold having a fourth through-hole engaging with thepositioning shaft; a first wire carrying plate, disposed beneath therotation mold and having a wire winding annular wall formed on an upperend of the first wire carrying plate and a fifth through-hole engagingwith the positioning shaft; a plate-shaped spring, placed in the wirewinding annular wall; and a wire material, reeled on the wire windingannular wall, two ends of the wire material passing through the twowire-outlet holes.
 11. The rotation-type single-pull retractionmechanism as claimed in claim 10, wherein an annular platform ishorizontally disposed in the upper cover and the ratchet-wheel-shapedboss extends through an inner side of the annular platform, and theblocking element is mounted on the annular platform via a pin shaft anda torque spring.
 12. The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanismas claimed in claim 11, wherein the annular platform partially protrudesupwards to form at least two walls which form two slideways with theinner side of the upper cover, and the pushing element is slidablydisposed on the slideways which each has an end corresponding to theblocking element.
 13. The rotation-type single-pull retraction mechanismas claimed in claim 10, wherein a second wire carrying plate is disposedbeneath the first wire carrying plate and has a sixth through-holeengaging with the positioning shaft.
 14. The rotation-type single-pullretraction mechanism as claimed in claim 10, wherein the dialing platehas raised lines formed on an upper surface thereof.
 15. Therotation-type single-pull retraction mechanism as claimed in claim 10,wherein a lower end of the lower housing is combined with a U-shapedclamp.